The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-12-29

ne E7srsap veacans.
A few veers 20, In Communication to the
HoRmIAn. IfAye the staiements from num-
Der OF men WHOM ] had met at Newport. that
had been engaged 10 cedar eating and hunting
in the neighborhood where the mysterious
smoke thss has 90 long been seen rising M 10
swamp east of the st. Marks river. near the Gull
Of Mexico The opinions OF these uaeo, seemed
TO be- the mysterious smoke Vas formed by
stream Of wafer that had flowed for . long dis
lance through q subterrancan channel and on
emerging from the earth, emitted gas or vapor
that arose in the air. The article was replied to
aud thereupon arose discussion which con-
linued through several numbers OF the Flo
RDIAN One OF the writer's conteuded that the
supposed smoke vas from q volcano, and as
signed a. the reason for his opinion the brilliant
light that was 90 frequently seen 81 night lar out
Without referring further to the articles then
published / viii slate that from the converse
ton that have had with men, who have been
familiar with that section Of the country tor
many yeap, am led TO believe that the mystic
rious smoke is natural gas escaping from the
earih that in q dry time the long grass in the
marsh is set on fire by hunters, and the fire COM
ing near where the gas arises ignites it and 1t
bur ms for weeks or until put out BY rains or ssme
other natural cause. In looking over some
works On chemistry, recently, confirmed me in
this opinion.
In Si~man's Chemistry, published in 1852
pages 287 and 28o. fnd the following:
Lsghe 6Fburetted Hydrogen Gas, Marsh
Gas, Fire Damp This gas occurs abundantly
in nature. being formed nearly pure by the de-
composition of vegetable matter under water,
Marsh Gas) The bubbles which rise when
the leaves and mud Of a staGnant pool or lake
are stirred, are light carburetted hydrogen, with
some nitrogen and carbonic acid.
10 coal mines it is copiously evolved In COM
pany with heavy carburetted hydrogen and Car
bonic acid, (fre damp) In the salt region of
Kanawaha it flows so abundantly from the
artesian wells with salt water as 10 furnish heat
enough by its combustion for evaporating the
salt wafer. The village of Fredonia, in New
York. has for many years bern illuminated with
this gas derived frvm the saliferous depneits
Marsh gas is cnlorless, inodorous, slightly
absolved by water and is respira6le when min
gled with common air. II burns
with yellow fame, giving as the produc, of
combustion water and carbonc acid Mingled
with common air, it forms an explosive xture,
which collects in large quantities 10 the upper
part Of the galleries Of coal mines. giving origin
to fearful explosions and the destruction of many
lives OF miners. Twice its volume of oxygen
burns il completely"
BY careful reading of the above quotation it
will be seen that cnrburetted hydrogen gas is de-
rived from salierous deposits and 10 used for H.
Illuminating and heating purposes.
Does il not sustain my theory in regard to the
supposed volcano that il is gas arising from the
sailerous deposits that has been set on fire by
the burning of the grass IN the swamp?
Ii may be asked, does natural gas exist in
swamp? II has been found on very swampy
land IN Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa.
One OF the greatest natural gas regions in the
United States is al and near FIndlay, Ohio ia
what is known as the Black Swamp" II lie,
or was, a broad level prairie, partially under
water. writer in The american Magazine for
December says: In the spring time, before
the land was artiicially drained a portion of
The county was covered with water from the
melting SHOWS and early rains, there being in
sufficient incline TO allow it to run off, and old
settlers say thatit was in this condition when
much of il was surveyed and laid out into Sec
tons and townships. This led the engineers
to set down large part of the territory 10 their
reports as swamp and overlooked lands"
which under a law of Congress was granted to
the State" Among the early settlers of Find
lay was young German physician, Charles
Oesterin, who was an expert geologist and min
eralogist. He had not been many weeks in
Findlay, before his attention was arrested by q
strong odor OF sulphuretted hydrogen, which
prevailed in many parts OF the town, and was
particularly noticeable along the banks of the
Blanchared river, a small stream that flowed
one side OF the village"
In october, 1885, farmer living three miles
from Fndlsy dug well. When the springs
were reached, they flowed with great vigor and
soon flled the hole with water, boiling rapidly
While they were debating what was best TO do,
they were called to supper; it being dark on
their return, they lighted a torch to make an
examination. When this was held over the
well an explosion occurred, which greatly
startled them. The flames continued 10 issue
from the well for several days.
In 1888, Daniel Foster, another farmer, living
near Fipdlay, began to dig we'll near his house
and before water was reached gas begun to issue
from the excavation in large Quantities. Mr..
Foster. being practical man, determined to
try some experiments with the fluid. He used
a copper kettle for receiver, and inverted ii
over the spot where the gas seemed tC come gu,
in the greatest quantity His conductor was
wooden pump stock one end which he placed
beneath the kettle To prevent leak. clay was
placed about the edge Of the kettle al the pon,
where the wooden tube was passed under it.
BY Joining a sufficient number of the pump
stocks together, a connection was made with the
house, where an old gun barrel was inserted,
and the gas lighted al the touch hole By
means of the fame Mr.. Foster roasted coffee
and boiled water, and at night illuminated his
room. This rude gas works continued in use
for twenty years.
As soon as DR.. Oesterlin saw Mr. Fosters
we'll and the gas burning in his house, the whole
mystery to him was solved, and he boldly an
nounced his opinion that the whole of Ffndlay
and lis vicinity had beneath il an inexhauslible
reservoir of nature gas" that might be used
for illuminating purposes. But the people look
ed upon him as a theorst and crank.
1t was not until 1884, that Dr.. Oesterlin could
do anything towards inducing the people to form
company Tor the purpose of utilizing the nat.
ural gas His hfly years of labor and study
was crowned with success, and he Is no longer
known as crank, but as brilliant scientist
In less than two years FindlAy ha. sprung
from almest an obscure town in the "Blsck
Swamp" of Ohio. 10 q city Of over $4,000 in
habitante and real estate in and near It has gone
up 10 almost fabulous prices.
Is II not just as plausible for natural gas TO ex-
let in the swamp east Of The 81. Marks RIVER az
There is In various places along the ST. Marks
rver and the country east of 1t the strong odor
OF sulphuretted hydrogen, or something like II.
At the Beecher Homestead" in Newport. I
have smelt the odor very strong at times during
my frequent sojourns there. AT one point on
the place the Od0r 10 90 strong that Mr. Slusser
has been talking Of digging or boring to see if
. he could not Apd sulphur water to supply the
house with.
II may be asked how can q person know this
gas by its smell? Sulphuretted hydrogen Is a
transparent elastic gas, which both to the taste
and smell is exceedingly unpleasant and nau-
seous, it's od0r being similar TO that of purifying
eggs"-Comstock's Chemistry, page 212
"Sulphuretted hydrogen is colorless gas,
with the fettid odor of rotten eggs, composed of
one equivalent Of sulphur and one OF hydro
gen."-Websier.
Perhaps no section of the Union contains a.
great q number of sulphur springs a. the coun-
try along the st. Marks river aud that east of il:
whether this will add any proof to the existence
of natural gas I am unable to determine, but
there are other evidences sufficient TO indicate IT,